TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY MARKS WORLD AIDS DAY

Nearly 300 gather to remember loved ones killed by the disease

HILLCREST 
The clear heart-shaped ornaments topped with red bows were filled with carefully crafted messages to loved ones and others who have suffered from AIDS. More than 200 of the remembrances were then hung on three Christmas trees in Hillcrest Village Saturday in commemoration of World AIDS Day.

“In loving memory of Rob — my son.”

“Alan, always with me.”

“Lori C. Thompson, a brave little girl.”

The 20th annual Tree of Life Ceremony brought together nearly 300 people to remember those who have passed and those living with the incurable disease.

“We acknowledge this day to create awareness and remember those who have gone before,” said Alberto Cortes, executive director of Mama’s Kitchen, which organized the event. The nonprofit provides 340,000 meals annually and has served over 6 million meals — also known as “love” — to AIDS and cancer patients in the county.

“We need to get to a place where we get to no new infections and zero deaths,” he said.

Attendees held lit candles as the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus closed the evening. The chorus sang classic Christmas songs and a special performance of a traditional Zambian song called “Bonse Aba,” which means, “All that sing have the right to be called the children of God.”

Cortes flipped the switch to turn on the brightly colored lights strung in the trees, which are in the village plaza at Fifth and University avenues.

Carlos Olivera dedicated an ornament to his friend Jim Hill, a talented designer who died two years ago from AIDS.

“I wrote ‘to the brightest star,’ ” said Olivera, 44. “I’ve been very emotional. I remember being in the early ’90s when there was no treatment.”

James and Tiffany Marcelino brought their two young sons, Griffin and Jayden, to the ceremony. They placed ornaments on the tree for James’ brother, Rommel Marcelino, who is living with HIV, and his late uncle Victor Marcelino, who died from AIDS.

“It’s important for me to celebrate life and family,” said James Marcelino, 41. “I want people to know you can still live, be part of the family and do things, that there is life and living.”

Ornaments across the trees held messages of love, courage and faith.

“Uncle Victor, we love you.”

“Kenneth, your light still shines.”

“Darren, we love & miss you! Mom & Dad.”

“Don Bonar, we miss you!”

“Jeffrey — you’d be amazed! Loving you (still).”

“My darling son Mikey. Love, mom.”

Carol Cook held back tears as she talked about the epidemic she witnessed as a nurse in the 1990s when HIV/AIDS was almost always a death sentence.

On her ornament she wrote: “In loving memory of all my guys.”

“It makes me cry because I love all of them so much,” said Cook, 78 and now retired. “It’s important that people remember because (AIDS) is not gone.”

Although treatment has improved, there are 10 new HIV cases and seven existing cases that turn from HIV into full-blown AIDS in San Diego County each week, said Terry Cunningham, chief of the county’s HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services.

Nationwide, 50,000 new infections are diagnosed each year, Cortes said.

“We need to focus on prevention in a manner that is caring and loving,” he said.

The trees will be up throughout December. Ornaments can be purchased — $15 each or two for $25 — through
Mamaskitchen.org.